Cyber Security Programmes Towards Cyber Resilience

The Department of Science and Technology’s (DST) Office of Digital Advantage (ODA) joins the international community in celebrating the Cyber Security Awareness Month.

We take this opportunity to reflect on the achievements thus far towards building a cyber resilient South Africa:

The approval of the National Cybersecurity policy Framework, which makes provision for the Coordination of general Cybersecurity activities, Development of public-private relationships (such as with SABRIC, Lumka etc.), Collaboration with sector CSIRTs, Conducting of Cybersecurity audits, and Initiation of Cybersecurity awareness campaigns.

The Cybercrimes and Cybersecurity Bill is in the process of being enacted. It aims at keeping all South Africans safe from cyber criminals. Essentially, it aims to stop cybercrime and improve the security of the country.

Establishment of the National Cyber Security Hub www.cybersecurityhub.gov.za in October 2015. The Cybersecurity Hub is South Africa’s National Computer Security Incident Response Team (CSIRT) and strives to make Cyberspace an environment where all residents of South Africa can safely communicate, socialise, and transact in confidence. It achieves this by working with stakeholders from government, the private sector, civil society and the public with a view to identifying and countering cybersecurity threats.

Support for the Sector CSIRTs (Computer Security Incident Response Teams), which are driven and led by various sector role players in ensuring that their member organisations are cyber resilient. Active CSIRTs include Finance and Banking sectors and sub-sectors, Telecommunications sector, South African National Research & Education Network, etc.

Put in place a Cyber Security Research Development and Innovation agenda which is intended to coordinate and facilitate research in the cyber security space.

Through the ICT Research Development and Innovation (RDI) Roadmap 2013-2023, the DST has invested in research projects and capacity building initiatives, including

IIP funds for device and network protection, such as the early warning system.

Part of the DSIDE (Data Science for Impact and Decision Enablement) program focuses on cyber security, through identification of patterns of possible cyber breaches.

Some parliamentary grant was dedicated to the research into securing general public’s identities towards ensuring safe online transactions.